Cueva de la Lastrilla

Useful Information

Location:	From the Sangazo neighbourhood, a track leads to the cave. (43.3614600, -3.2546920)
Open:	closed. [2026]
Fee:	closed. [2026]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:	L=15.000 m, VR=250 m, A=60 m asl.
Guided tours:	closed. [2026]
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Cueva de la Lastrilla, Castro-Urdiales, Cantabria, Tel: +34-942-863949.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1950s	discovered by the Equipo de Camineros de la Diputación (Provincial Council Road Maintenance Team).
1998	declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (Site of Cultural Interest).

Description

The Cueva de la Lastrilla (cave of La Lastrilla) is one of the icons of prehistory of Cantabria. It is actually not a real show cave, which is the result of the archaeological importance, which prevents touristic exploitation to a certain degree. The cave is gated, and it is currently rather difficult to visit it.

After the cave was discovered by the Equipo de Camineros de la Diputación (Provincial Council's Road Maintenance Team) in the 1950s it was repeatedly explored by the La Lastrilla Speleological Group. They have surveyed the cave to a length of 15 km, and also discovered the Palaeolithic cave paintings. The cave contains numerous prehistoric artefacts, in the entrance hall of the second entrance, some fragments of handmade pottery were found. The somewhat unusual rock art can be attributed to an early phase of the Upper Palaeolithic (Gravettian or Solutrean). Archaeological excavations revealed archaeological layers, the upper ones containing abundant bone remains, predominantly deer, and abundant stone tools. Three burials of individual were found in the upper entrance. Two of them in side recesses and the third inside the gallery under a complex tumulus-like structure. All burials revealed interesting burial objects. The remains date from the Upper Paleolithic to the Roman era, the cave repeatedly served as a refuge, a burial place and a religious center. The remains were dated to the Gravetian, Solutrean, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age and later, the cave painting were dated to be Upper Paleolithic.

The cave of is located in the surroundings of the neighborhood of Sangazo, in Sámano (Castro Urdiales). It has three entrances all facing east, located at the bottom of the valley of Sámano. From the end of the Calle Lastrilla a well-marked track leads to the main cave entrance, which was built for the archaeologists. With its enormous length the cave is one of the longest caves in Cantabria.

The cave is closed to the public, so why do we list it as a show cave? The answer is simple, a few years ago it was open as a show cave. It was a member of the Asociación de Cuevas Turísticas Españolas (ACTE), but it is not listed on their website any more. Visits must now be requested from the Consejería de Cultura, Turismo y Deporte de Cantabria (Cantabria Regional Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport). Currently, a project is underway to partially open the cave to the public again. In other words, we listed it because it was open to the public, we kept the page because the cave is important, and we hope it will be open to the public again.